


Against the Current

by My_Furnace_Has_Wings



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Gen, He Doesn't Know What To Do, Tendou has a crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:14:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25664965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Furnace_Has_Wings/pseuds/My_Furnace_Has_Wings
Summary: Tendou likes someone. Is terrified. How do I even? What is confession? How-to-not-scare-101 with Tendou.
Relationships: Tendou/gender Neutral
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	Against the Current

He’d made fun of Toshi for his crush and gave him – in Tendou’s humble opinion – great advice. But now, when it was his turn to have a crush, he didn’t know what to do. They didn’t share any classes together. He’d triple checked. 

They were hard to find in the mass of students in the cafeteria. He got weird looks from people as he stood on tables to look for them. But getting weird looks was nothing new to Tendou. 

It was after school that he spotted them. He was merely looking back at the rock he’d tripped on when he looked up to see them headed his way. Tendou swallowed thickly. 

Right. Okay. Right. Okay. Be smooth. But not too smooth. Don’t be a smooth jerk. Be a cool jerk. No not a jerk. Oh no they’re getting closer. Am I too tall? Am I scaring them? How do I not be tall and intimidating?

Before any proper thought can form into a physical sentence, Tendou feels them walk passed him. They offer a small smile and awkward wave. He turns to watch them go. Shifting their bag against their back. He could offer to hold it? Or to walk them home? But would that be too creepy? If he knew where they lived? 

“What are you staring at?”

Tendou looked to see Semi frowning at him. Hand on hip as he shifts his posture. 

For once? Tendou didn’t have a snappy comeback. He just turned and left. Semi didn’t call after him. He was walking somewhere behind Tendou with the other departing students. 

The next day, Tendou spent his classes organising – what he thought – was the best way to approach his crush. He’d written numerous notes. Stuffed each one in his pockets after reading it. He’d rehearsed in the bathroom, gaining more odd looks from those that came in. He paid them no mind as he tried to word it… right. But no words seemed to feel right. 

As he wandered the halls, he looked for them. Any inkling as to what they liked. He barely knew them, but he was smitten. The only thing he did know was that they were confident. Had their own group of friends like he did, and they seemed keen to get into any conversation, whether it was to argue a point of view or to agree. Deeming it his mission here on out to know all about them. What they liked, what classes they enjoyed and what they excelled at. Where they struggled. He would be able to know more about them that way. And maybe they could find some common ground.

The days passed and Tendou had managed to learn their locker number where he tried to slip the notes he’d written in class, only to chicken out and stuff them into his pockets. He saw them walking towards him as he was looking at one of the notes, considering it not half bad. When they stopped in front of him because he was in the way, they smiled and asked what the note was, Tendou panicked and ate the note. Earning an odd look from you but their friends laughing and saying he ‘was just like that’. Retrieving the note from his mouth he tossed it in the bin.

He twisted his mouth back and forth as he considered the few things he did know. They liked art. They spent a lot of time dedicated to it. They hated Math. That didn’t hate English, but they didn’t love it. They were good at it though, the same couldn’t be said for Math. They enjoyed Biology. They knew weird, random facts that no one needed to know to make their way in life, but they knew them. Just because. 

As he ate, he looked down at his food, enjoying the tasty meal he made for himself the day before. What if… He didn’t waste a second. He jotted down his idea in his notes in his phone. 

By the time school was over, Tendou was ready to get to work. Racing home to Prepare all the necessary ingredients. He didn’t consider himself a chef. But he knew how to make good food. He made his own every day. 

Wrapping up the bento he set it in the fridge. Ready to take it tomorrow. 

When lunch came around the following day, Tendou skipped lunch with his friends in favour of sharing it with his crush. Finding them in the art studio again. A bag at the feet of their stool as they leant over a larger canvas. 

“Hey!” He chimed.

They turned quickly. Eyes wide as they take in his form. 

Tendou held up the extra bag. “I brought lunch. You should eat to fend off this summer heat.” That made little sense, but he wasn’t about to question his words. He fanned himself as if that would help his sentence make more sense.

They looked at him. Eyeing him up and down suspiciously. 

“I come in peace.” Tendou held his hands up. Carefully inching closer to set the paper bag on the table before backing away. His sheepish grin probably wasn’t helping to convince them of his statement.

They peeked inside. Reaching in and pulling out his handywork. “What did you do to it?”

Tendou blinked at them. “Aaahhh, nothing?”

“You don’t sound so sure.” They challenged but a smile was beginning to form.

Tendou shrugged. “I hardly see you eat at the cafeteria. And I can’t be sure you eat during class seeing as we don’t have even one together. I’m just looking out for you.” He huffed. Was this conversation good or failing?

They took a bite.

Tendou waited in anticipation. Feeling himself lean forwards.

“Not bad.” They complimented.

Tendou nodded. Proud of himself as he straightened up.

“Thanks.” They sat back and continued to eat. Pushing aside their paint brushes and water-filled containers.

Tendou brought a seat over to sit with them. “Well if you didn’t like it, I was just going to eat it myself.” He bit into his own meal.

“There’s no way I’m giving this back. You’ll have to fight me for it.” They covered their mouth as they responded.

“Oh?” Tendou gave a sly grin. His eyes falling on their artwork. “What’s it supposed to be?”

They followed his gaze to their artwork. “It’s abstract.”

“Oh.” Tendou frowned. “Doesn’t sound very hard.”

“I dare you to make one.”

“Okay.” Tendou shrugged as he glanced around for a blank canvas. Spotting the various paint, he now had access to. He had no artistic skills but it’s abstract. How hard could it be?

Tendou tried not to regret anything in his life. But he regretted taking this on. He’d managed to spill paint on the desk and on his canvas. Make a mess of the brushes. Even he wasn’t sure what he’d made. Looking over at his crush’s though, although the background was simply a picture of cooler tones blended together, he could make out the place was some kind of park or forest. A pond or lake was there. Their so-called abstract was now resembling that of a single blossom tree in the front. It was good. His though… well, he had few words about it. 

“Abstract my ass.” He mumbled. Using his hands to push the thick paint around. He’d long ago given up on making finer details with the brushes. A few swirls where the two main colours that he’d used blended together near the center. He loved it though, he heard them laugh. Looking up, they were covering their mouth to hide their giggles. “Are you mocking my work? I’ll have you know this is a masterpiece.”

“Of what?” They managed between giggles.

Tendou looked down at his work. “Of…” it was mostly blue and orange with pale streaks of yellow and a red that had somehow turned pink. “A sunset…. over…. The ocean!”

Their laughter filled the space and Tendou could get used to the sound. “Okay.” They agreed. Shoulders shaking from containing their laughter.


End file.
